STEM Smackdown

Most people believe Thomas Edison was the mastermind of motion pictures. But what if another budding inventor filed a patent for a movie camera just before Edison? Photographer William Friese-Greene was well on his way to being the champion of movies before Edison shot his first film. You'll be on the edge of your seat as Edison and Friese-Greene face off to be the first to bring movies to the public. Dramatic technological advancements, unfortunate accidents, and more fill out this invention showdown. You'll never look at a movie camera the same way again!

Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, right? That's what most people will tell you. But what if they're wrong? What if Scottish-born inventor Antonio Santi Giuseppe Meucci was working on his own telephone invention at the exact same time? You'll be on the edge of your seat as Meucci and Bell race to win the battle of the telephone. Who will overcome the obstacles and be the first to cross the finish line? You'll never look at a telephone the same way again!

You may have heard the story of how Guglielmo Marconi invented the radio, but what if it isn't entirely true? What if the brilliant young inventor Nikola Tesla was working on advancing radio technology at exactly the same time? You'll be captivated by the tale of two invention powerhouses facing off in a race to create the first long-range radio. In a battle filled with successes and setbacks, see how Marconi and Tesla set out to take home the gold. You'll never look at the radio the same way again!

It's something many people use every day, but do you know who invented the television? David Sarnoff, the powerful radio executive, is often thought of as the Father of Television. But the story might not be so straightforward. What if a simple farm boy, Philo T. Farnsworth, deserves the credit? Follow along in the race as an underdog inventor takes on a high-profile executive in a battle that would last more than a decade and cost millions of dollars. You'll never look at television the same way again!

Do you know who invented the airplane? Most Americans believe it was Wilbur and Orville Wright. But what if that's not true? What if a German immigrant named Gustave Whitehead beat the Wrights to the punch, flying a plane he designed several years before Wilbur and Orville took their famous flight? You'll hang on every word as the Wright brothers and Whitehead face off to become the first to fly. Read on for a story full of disputes, determination, and more. You'll never view the history of flight in the same way again!

Do you know who invented the light bulb? Most Americans will tell you it was Thomas Edison. But what if they're wrong? What if a British scientist named Joseph Swan was filing for the rights to this invention around the same time as Edison? You'll be on the edge of your seat as Edison and Swan go head-to-head to create the first usable light bulb. Patent battles, lies, determination, and more fill out this exciting race to the finish. You'll never look at a light bulb the same way again!